I don't want them breed! What can I do?

I have my balls for 12 years and they are always staying in the same tank. I was told both were boys. But this morning, I saw them mating. I don't want them breed as I can't keep more balls. I called the vet but she didn't suggest the idea of desex one of them. If I want to keep them in the same tank, how can I avoid them to breed?

Thanks!

First off, welcome :) You have kept them together for 12 years and they have never mated or produced eggs before? Are you sure they were mating? It's not recommended to keep 2 ball pythons in the same enclosure, I'd separate them regardless.

Get them sexed. Locking can also be a sign of one male dominating another, in which case they won't reproduce, but the loser is being stressed by the dominant male and doesn't have the proper environment to get away from him and still feel secure. In either situation, separating them will solve the problem. Even though they've been "fine" for twelve years, that does not mean they are in as ideal a situation as you have the power to provide them.

I have took a picture of them this morning. How can I post it up here? I am new to this forum and don't know how to post it.

Yes, they have been living for 12+ years and have never produced eggs before. It was a bit complicated and sound very silly indeed. When I bought my 'girl', there was a female symbol on the box. So I 'knew' that one was a girl, until three years ago I took my 'girl' to a pet shop. The guy there looked at my 'girl' and said to me that 'she' was actually a boy!! Then, I thought it was a mistake and stopped worrying about the problem of breeding.

About two months ago, they stopped eating. It is abnormal since they never stop eating in the summer. I didn't know what happen until this morning when I saw them mate.

Well, as far as worrying about more babies, don't. If it is a female, and it lays eggs, just toss them. They would be difficult to hatch anyway.

As the other posters mentioned, ball pythons do best separated.

I kept a pair of BP's together for over a decade, and they only bred once.

If you don't want more BP's, just take the eggs away when she lays them, and dispose of them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rickys_Reptiles

I kept a pair of BP's together for over a decade, and they only bred once.

If you don't want more BP's, just take the eggs away when she lays them, and dispose of them.

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May I know...

My balls mated, does it mean the girl will lay eggs soon?
If she does, do the eggs have well-formed baby pythons inside, or just fertilised and not yet developed as a snake form?
Will laying eggs cause any harm to the balls? I don't know if they will mate again next year....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by feimui

May I know...

My balls mated, does it mean the girl will lay eggs soon?
If she does, do the eggs have well-formed baby pythons inside, or just fertilised and not yet developed as a snake form?
Will laying eggs cause any harm to the balls? I don't know if they will mate again next year....

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IF she lays eggs, it may be months away. If you were to slice open a freshly laid egg all you would see is goo

It's not uncommon for a male to lock up another male in domination, which is another good reason not to keep them together.

Kind of figure out how to post pictures....

Here is their tank.... I can only keep one tank at home as my home is too small for two tanks. So, I hope to keep them in one tank.

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...5/IMG_8555.jpg

This is the picture I took this morning. They were mating, weren't they?

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...5/IMG_1728.jpg